Upscayl

What it is for

Upscayl is a local AI image-upscaler desk: you pick an image, pick a model (Digital Art), optionally Double Upscayl at 4X, and the desktop app is $0 (AGPL-3.0). Use it when the job is an upscale you start at a public $, not when you need Topaz Photo’s paid denoise/sharpen only.

Soft-note: Desktop free / OSS at github.com/upscayl/upscayl (Linux / macOS / Windows) + Upscayl Cloud Free Trial $0 (10 credits) + Pro Plan $24.99/mo (300 credits/mo). Distinct from Topaz Photo, Cleanup.pictures, and Midjourney.

What makes it unique: the cover is Upscayl’s official desktop app (Upscayl 2.11.5, Batch Upscayl, Step 1 Select Image, Step 2 Digital Art, checked Double Upscayl, Image Scale (4X), Step 3 Set Output Folder, Step 4 256×256 → 4096×4096, split Krishna still) from the homepage desktop still — not a wordmark. The Digital Art model itself is ops of Select Model.

Key features

• Select Image — Step 1 on the left rail (cover still; upscayl.org). One desk. Cover split Krishna sits here.
• Select Model — Step 2 Digital Art (cover; docs). A model, not a Pro tile.
• Double Upscayl — the checked toggle (cover; official tutorial). A second pass, not a $24.99 meter.
• Image Scale (4X) — slider + Step 4 256×256 → 4096×4096 (cover). A scale, not Get Started.
• Set Output Folder — Step 3 (cover). An output, not Cloud.
• Batch Upscayl — the sidebar toggle (cover; homepage “Batch Upscayl”). A batch, not SSO.

Upscayl / Download / Login are CTAs (not desks). Free Trial / Pro $24.99 / credit packs stay in Pricing. Cloud Generate AI Images / face-enhancement marketing stay off Key features as AI extras.

Who it's for

Best fit: photographers and illustrators who will stay on Desktop at $0 (local GPU, AGPL-3.0) while they Double Upscayl a first Digital Art still, then Cloud Pro at $24.99/month when they need 300 credits/mo — not Business first unless they need a custom credit contract.

Pricing

Verified 2026-10-23 (Asia/Shanghai) from upscayl.org/pricing plus upscayl.org / download and github.com/upscayl/upscayl. Soft-note: the Cloud page prints Free Trial $0 and Pro Plan $24.99; Desktop is a separate $0 OSS binary.

• Desktop (OSS) — $0. Linux / macOS / Windows. AGPL-3.0 at upscayl/upscayl. “Download once, forever yours.”
• Cloud Free Trial — $0. 10 credits included. “Just login, fill out the trial application.”
• Cloud Pro Plan — $24.99/month. 300 credits / month. Unused credits rollover. Priority support. 6 months unlimited storage. Upscayl up to 256MP.
• Cloud one-time packs — the page lists 100 / 300 / 500 / 1,000 / 2,500 / 5,000 credit amounts under “One-Time Purchase.” The pack $ is not in the static HTML we fetched on 2026-10-23 (only $0 and $24.99 printed). Confirm checkout; do not invent a pack $.
• Cloud Business / Custom — “Contact us for pricing.” Do not invent a Business $. Business is “Not available for 300 credits” on the card we fetched.
• Annual toggle — “Up to 40% Off!” on the Cloud page. Confirm the live yearly checkout; do not invent a yearly Pro $.

Confirm checkout; Cloud credits are not the Desktop $0.

Limitations / costs

• Desktop needs a compatible GPU. See the docs compatibility list.
• Cloud credits are a separate meter. Desktop $0 does not include Pro’s 300 credits/mo.
• A local upscaler, not Topaz Photo’s paid denoise/sharpen. For that enhance desk see Topaz Photo.
• Generate AI Images is Cloud, not a sixth desktop KF. We keep it off Key features.

Alternatives

• Topaz Photo — a desktop enhance / denoise / sharpen when you want Personal promo ~$19.50/mo then $39, not Upscayl’s $0 Digital Art pass.
• Cleanup.pictures — a brush inpaint when you want Free $0 / Pro $5, not a 4X upscale.
• Midjourney — a generate studio when you want Basic $10, not a local Double Upscayl of an existing still.

Official tutorial

Official Upscayl channel video: Upscayl Tutorial - How to use Upscayl? | Best Free AI Image Upscaler for Linux, Mac and Windows (oEmbed author: Upscayl). First-party how-to (models, Double Upscayl, Settings); the desktop Digital Art still is the cover. We also resolved Upscayl - AI Image Upscaler (ln_vBq-T7ag) and Upscayl - Free and Open Source AI Image Upscaler (SZg5aZvTjeo) on the same channel. We searched @upscayl (200; channel UCv-O18ZZ4RbGPC4dHcjy1Pg) and @UpscaylApp (404).

Written path: upscayl.org/pricing plus docs, download, and github.com/upscayl/upscayl.

Website

https://upscayl.org/

Source

Catalog row curated for AI Tools Nav. Cover is Upscayl’s official desktop app still (2.11.5 + Digital Art + Double Upscayl + 256×256→4096×4096 split Krishna) from upscayl.org/home/desktop-screenshot-2.webp. Dollars checked on upscayl.org/pricing (Desktop $0 OSS; Cloud Free Trial $0 / 10 credits; Pro $24.99/mo / 300 credits; one-time pack $ not in static HTML; Business custom). Tutorial oEmbed author: Upscayl (@upscayl; @UpscaylApp 404). GitHub: upscayl/upscayl (AGPL-3.0).

Last verified

2026-10-23 (Asia/Shanghai) editorial check.